Segmental self-supporting beams conveyor and combination bed and conveyor

ABSTRACT

A conveyor and a conveyor in combination with an invalid bed. The conveyor is made up of a continuous belt supported on two spaced pulleys. The pulleys have an outside periphery in the shape of a polygon, rotatable about a central axis and having flattened surfaces around the periphery, each flattened surface being equal in length to one side of the polygon. The belt is made up of hinged sections, hinged together by links. Each link is pivoted at its ends to the ends of two adjacent sections and each section has teeth arranged in a circle having a center at the pivot point of the links. The teeth mesh with each other as the sections pass around the pulleys so that the sections are held in positive alignment with each other. The links are arranged to form a continuous belt that passes around the pulleys and each section is equal to one side of the polygonal surfaces of the pulleys. Each section has a pad on it that forms a bed mattress to support an invalid and the pulleys are supported on the head and foot of the bed.

United States Patent 1191 Dyczynski [45] Aug. 7, 1973 SEGMENTALSELF-SUPPORTING BEAMS CONVEYOR AND COMBINATION BED AND [57] ABSTRACTCONVEYOR A conveyor and a conveyor in combination with an in- [75]Inventor: Karol T. Dyu ki, E i P valid bed. The conveyor is made up of acontinuous belt supported on two spaced pulleys. The pulleys have [73]Assignee. Henley/Development Corporation, an outside periphery in theshape of a polygon, rotatable about a central axis and having flattenedsurfaces [22] Fil d; M 21, 1972 around the periphery, each flattenedsurface being equal in length to one side of the polygon. The belt is[211 App! 237n9 made up of hinged sections, hinged together by links.

Each link is pivoted at its ends to the ends of two adja- 52 U.S. c1.198/189, 5/81 R cent sections and each section has teeth arranged in a51 Int. (:1. A6lg 7/08, B65g 15/30 circle having a center at the PivotPoint of the links- [58] Field of Search 198/189, 195; The teeth meshwith each other as the sections P 5 31 R around the pulleys so that thesections are held in positive alignment with each other. The links arearranged [56] R fe Cit d to form a continuous belt that passes aroundthe pulleys UNITED STATES PATENTS and each section is equal to one sideof the polygonal 2,593,324 4/1952 Mann 198/195 Surfaces of the PulleysEach sect'on has a pad on that Primary Examiner-Edward A. SrokaAttorney-Charles L. Lovercheck forms a bed mattress to support aninvalid and the pulleys are supported on the head and foot of the bed.

6 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures l /7- b nn v\n y l 3 29 29 I I 30 l I I l ll l I 1 .1 J 1 mmum SHEETEUFIS FIG.

llll

llll

minnows mv a.

SHEET 3 0F 3 SEGMENTAL SELF-SUPPORTING BEAMS CONVEYOR AND COMBINATIONBED AND CONVEYOR OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of theinvention to provide an improved conveyor wherein the conveyor is madeup of sections which form a bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved invalid bed.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved conveyorstructure.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consistsof the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being under stood that changesmay be made in the form, size, proportions", and minor details ofconstruction withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of a bedaccording to the invention.

F IG'. 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial side view of two of the hingedconveyorsections with the padding removed.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial view of one part of the device accordingto the invention.

FIG. 5 is anenlarged cross sectional view showing a partial view of aside view of the part shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a side view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross sectional view similar to FIG. 4 of oneembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view of yet another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a partial side view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a partial top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. I 1 is a cross sectional view taken on line l1-ll of FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Now with more particular referenceto the drawings, the bed 10 is shown having spaced first bed posts 11and spaced second bed posts 12 that are also longitudinally spaced fromeach other and, like bed posts, are supported laterally spaced from eachother. The bed posts have bases 13 and 14 that are supported on a floorat 15 and 16 in the usual manner. The bed posts support the conveyor 20.The conveyor 20 is supported on the longitudinally spaced pulleys 21 and22 that are carried by the bed posts on the axles 23 and 24. The axlesare supported on suitable bearings carried on the support members 40 and41. The pulleys are rotatable about their centers23and 24 and theoutside periphery of the pulleys is in the shape of a polygon, eachpolygonal side of a pulley surface has a length equal to the length ofone of the conveyor sections 25. Each section 25 has a flange 26 and aweb 27. The webs are pivoted together at the points 30 and 31 by meansof the links 29and each of the spaced flanges is connected together by aplate that extends from the flange of a section at one side of the bedindicated at 35 to the flange of a section at the other side indicatedat 36. The plates 17 each have a pad 38 supported to its top and the pad38 acts as a mattress to support a patient.

The teeth 32 and 33 are formed on the lower corners of the sections. Theteeth are disposed in an arcuate path having a center at the pivotpoints 31 and 30, pivoting the links 29 to the webs 27.

The axles 23 and 24 may be driven by a suitable motor so that a patienton the bed may be transferred from the bed to a suitable carrier totransport the patient from place to place in a hospital or the like.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a singlesprocket 121 is shown, which may be one of a pair of spaced sprocketssupported in spaced relation to each other. The single sprocket has thebelt supported on it. The belt 120 is made up of sections 126 which areconnected together by links 129 pivoted tothe belt by pins 131. Thesprocket has teeth 133 that extend up between the laterally spaced legsI27 and rotate the belt. The belt is made up of spaced angular sections126 that have a vertical portion and a laterally disposed portion 126which forms a top surface on the belt. Conveyor sections 126 areconnected together by links 129 which are similar to links 29 in FIG. 3.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the belt ismade up of spaced sections226 that have angular cross sections which areconnected together by the links 229 which are pivoted to the sections226 by pins 231. The links have plates 236 attached to the horizontalparts of the sections by means of studs 222. The plates 236 overlap thejoints between the sections 226, as indicated in FIG. 6.

The embodiment of theinvention shown in FIG. 8 is much like theembodiment shown :in FIG. 7 but instead of having the sections 326overlap the joints between the sections, the plates 326 terminate at thejoints between the sections. Links 329 connect the conveyor links 325together by means of pins 321. Links 329 are similar to links 29 in FIG.3.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 9, we show the spacedsupports 311 .and 312 which have bases 315 and 316 to be supported on afloor. The bases are held together by a suitable brace 318 andcrossbrace 319. A conveyor having sections 325 is supported on thespaced pulleys 321. A second conveyor 322 may be supported in verticallyspaced relation above the lower conveyor sections 325. The upperconveyor is carried by sprockets 322.. The top surface of the conveyorsections 325 is flat, as indicated in FIG. 10. The axles 332 aresupported on frame members 327 which are fixed to the supports 311 and312. The conveyor may be used in stacked relation for a variety ofpurposes familiar to those skilled in the art. The conveyor seetions325may be carried on angle tracks 340 and 341, both above and below theaxles 332 and a drive member for driving the sprockets 321 and 322 isindicated at 350.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferredpractical forms but the structure shown is capable of modificationwithin a range of equivalents without departing from the invention whichis to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with theappended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A continuous conveyor belt made up of a plurality of laterally spacedpairs of sections,

each section having a web portion abutting the end of a web portion ofan adjacent section,

said sections being of substantial depth,

each section having a link pivotally connected to an adjacent section ata spaced position below the center line of said section,

and teeth formed on the lower corners of each adjacent section,

said teeth being arranged in a circle so the center is at the said pivotto said link whereby said teeth mesh with each other and hold saidsections in parallel relation to each other.

2. The conveyor recited in claim 1 wherein said belt is supported on twospaced pulleys,

said pulleys having polygonal peripheral surfaces engaging saidsections,

each said polygonal surface being equal to the length of one saidsection.

3. The conveyor recited in claim 1 wherein a plate is supported on thetop of each two laterally spaced sections providing a continuous topsurface for said conveyor.

4. The conveyor recited in claim 3 wherein a pad is supported on eachsaid plate, providing a bed for an invalid.

5. The conveyor recited in claim 1 wherein two said continuous conveyorbelts are supported one above the other on said supports.

6. The conveyor recited in claim 1 wherein said plates overlap twoadjacent said spaced sections.

1. A continuous conveyor belt made up of a plurality of laterally spacedpairs of sections, each section having a web portion abutting the end ofa web portion of an adjacent section, said sections bEing of substantialdepth, each section having a link pivotally connected to an adjacentsection at a spaced position below the center line of said section, andteeth formed on the lower corners of each adjacent section, said teethbeing arranged in a circle so the center is at the said pivot to saidlink whereby said teeth mesh with each other and hold said sections inparallel relation to each other.
 2. The conveyor recited in claim 1wherein said belt is supported on two spaced pulleys, said pulleyshaving polygonal peripheral surfaces engaging said sections, each saidpolygonal surface being equal to the length of one said section.
 3. Theconveyor recited in claim 1 wherein a plate is supported on the top ofeach two laterally spaced sections providing a continuous top surfacefor said conveyor.
 4. The conveyor recited in claim 3 wherein a pad issupported on each said plate, providing a bed for an invalid.
 5. Theconveyor recited in claim 1 wherein two said continuous conveyor beltsare supported one above the other on said supports.
 6. The conveyorrecited in claim 1 wherein said plates overlap two adjacent said spacedsections.